Everglades Airboat Tours: A Relaxing Thrill Ride
The experience of visiting the Everglades couldn’t be more different from the busy cities near South Florida’s beaches. The latter can bring with it exciting sensory overload, while the former allows for easygoing relaxation. But Everglades airboat tours offer both a thrilling ride and the chance to explore a unique, beautiful ecosystem.
Airboats make getting there half the fun!
Built with powerful motors and a distinct design, airboats look like they’re flying over the marsh rather than on it. Racing airboats can reach speeds well over 100 miles per hour, yet most airboats operate most safely under 40 miles per hour. Our everglades airboat tours at Mack’s Fish Camp abide by this safety standard. But make no mistake, moving through this vast ecosystem on an airboat is a thrill like none other.
Airboats can go where motorboats can’t
The landscape of the Everglades has many areas with low water and thick vegetation, which are difficult for motorboats to navigate through. Airboats are flat-bottomed boats driven by a large propeller that sits above the water. This design doesn’t just allow them access to areas hidden beyond the sawgrass. The position of the propeller also prevents airboats from disturbing the plants or animals.
Relax as you discover the river of grass
Once the initial flight of your airboat ride slows, you’ll be surrounded by the natural beauty of the sloughs and marshes. Under an endless sky, miles from crowded intersections, you can appreciate the calm stillness of nature. You’ll hear and see many species of birds, including raptors like ospreys and colorful wading birds like herons. Not to mention you’ll see plenty of the icon of the Florida Everglades, the American alligator.
Apart from being the transportation standard of the Everglades, airboats provide an exciting way to venture deep into its many habitats. Everglades airboat tours give you the best of both worlds of Florida fun: rollercoaster thrills and the relaxation of nature. If you want to see for yourself or are just curious, then come and pay a visit to Mack’s Fish Camp.
Tips to Spot Everglades Wildlife on an Airboat Tour
The Florida Everglades is filled with an impressive variety of wildlife, including birds, reptiles, and even mammals. You may spot many animals out in the open, and some hiding in the sawgrass while taking an Everglades airboat tour in Miami. But there are a few things to do and consider before taking an airboat ride that will help your chances.
Consider the Time of Year
Everglades Birdwatching
Over 350 species of birds have been sighted in the Everglades. The largest and most diverse concentration of birds occurs here during Everglades dry season, from December through mid-May. The cooler air brings in migratory birds like bluebirds from the north, and even tropical birds like Flamingos from the Caribbean. The lower water levels of the dry season help local wading birds like the Great Blue Heron and Roseate spoonbill nest and raise their young.
But, we can’t forget the most famous species of Everglades wildlife…
Best Time to Spot Everglades Alligators
Alligators often prefer the cooler temperatures of the dry season, but are active for much of the year. Alligator mating season in the Everglades lasts from mid-April through May, followed by nesting season from June and July. By August, you’ll see baby alligators swimming and hear their tiny roars coming from the sawgrass.
Become Familiar with Everglades Wildlife
When you take an Everglades airboat tour in Miami, you will be guided be true blue Gladesmen that are very knowledgeable of Everglades wildlife. They can help you identify animals and answer questions you might have about them. But, if you do a little studying on the animals you’d like to see beforehand, you can spot them on your airboat ride more easily.
Consider the Temperature
With average temperatures in the 80’s or higher, the summer in South Florida can get very hot, especially for the animals. Summer temperatures can also stretch into late spring and early fall, too.
Like Florida’s human residents, most animals spend much of the day trying to keep cool and avoid the sun. As a result, many birds and other Everglades wildlife are most active in the morning and early afternoon during the summertime.
Keep a Lookout for Movement
Alligators can spend a lot of time in the water, and can be so still they’re often mistake for logs! That ripple you just saw in the water might not have been a large mouth bass. Wading birds like egrets and herons also stalk their prey so slowly that you can miss them standing by the cat tails and sawgrass.
And keep an eye out for color differences of objects you see against each other. Birds can’t be sneaky and pretty at the same time if you’re watching closely!
As incredible as the Everglades are, the biodiversity of this ecosystem makes it even more unique. It’s a sure bet that you’ll see a good number of animals while airboating in Miami. Make sure to keep an eye out for them, and remember that timing is everything!
Keep the season and time of day in mind when planning your Everglades trip. But no matter when you take your airboat ride at Mack’s Fish Camp, you’ll get to see these animals up close and in their natural habitat.
Everglades Airboat Tours: Summer Fun Close to Home!
Going into late July, we’re entering the dreaded “Dog days of summer” in South Florida. You’ve probably taken a family summer vacation out of town, and the kids will be headed back to school in a few weeks. With summertime running out and starting to drag, you might be feeling the itch for one more adventure. So, why not seek it in your own backyard? Everglades airboat tours are a great way to have some late summer family fun in Florida without the theme park price tag
Exciting and Educational All Ages Fun
Taking an airboat ride in the Everglades can be a blast for all ages. Young or old, toddler or teen, Everglades airboat tours provide excitement and exploration for all ages. With a born and bred, fifth-generation Gladesmen as your guide, you’ll learn a lot about the Everglades ecosystem and the over 350 animal species that thrive here.
Theme Park Thrills Without The Lines
While Florida theme parks are bursting with attractions and rides, they’re also bursting with large crowds in the summer. Lines and wait times can be up to 2 hours long for rides that last for only a few minutes. In South Florida, the Everglades is a hidden gem just west of the sunny beaches of Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, and Miami. When you come to take a private airboat tour at Mack’s Fish Camp, the ride is waiting for you, never the opposite.
With the many northern visitors Florida receives during the winter, it’s no secret that Florida is warm year-round. The increased humidity coupled with rising temperatures can make even a trip to the beach a tiring ordeal, and The Everglades can feel the heat, too.
In the summer, Everglades airboat tours are best-enjoyed in the morning until noon and in the late afternoon. In addition to the temperature being more hospitable to people then, much of the Everglades wildlife, like the many bird species residing here, are more active then. Also, if you take an airboat ride later in the day, you can witness a vivid, wildly colorful Everglades sunset.
Beat the Heat and See Real Florida Magic
Time and money can take on more importance as summer break draws to a close. Even with the school year looming large, you want to make good use of that extra time with your family. If you live in South Florida, taking an airboat ride at Mack’s Fish Camp in the Everglades is an exciting and affordable way to do that while staying close to home.
Things to Bring on an Everglades Airboat Tour
Taking an Everglades airboat tour is an exciting way to explore this hidden part of Florida. But it’s important that you bring everything you need to have a fun trip. Before you embark on your adventure here at Mack’s Fish Camp, make sure that you have these essentials.
Comfortable Clothing – An airboat ride is a casual affair, so there’s no need to dress up. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes. Long-sleeved shirts and pants can deter bugs, but could be uncomfortable in the Florida heat and humidity.
Water – It’s true that the Everglades is a source of drinking water, but the water you’ll be seeing on the tour isn’t really drinkable. Bring a water bottle to stay hydrated.
Polarized Sunglasses – UVA/UVB sunglasses can protect your eyes from harsh solar rays. Polarized lenses reduce glare, which will make it easier for you to spot Everglades wildlife.
Camera – Your airboat tour guide will bring you up-close to some unique Florida wildlife, and more will appear on your trip. Snap some photos to show off the epic scenery to your friends.
Binoculars – Not all animals you notice may be too easily seen. Bringing these can help you to better see things like bird nests from far away.
The following items are all provided and included with your Everglades airboat tour, so if you meant to bring them but forgot, we’ve got you covered!
Sun Screen – Florida can definitely live up to its nickname of “The Sunshine State”, and that sunshine can even cause sunburns on cloudy days. Applying some sunscreen can keep a sunburn from being one of your memories of the ride.
Raincoat / Poncho – That sunshine can switch to rain quickly in Florida, especially during the summer months. So it’s a good idea to keep a raincoat on-hand.
Insect Repellant – Bugs can be as abundant as gators and ibises out here. This item can be helpful if you opt to wear shorts or a t-shirt.
Hearing Protection – Because airboat motors get very loud, we always carry ear muffs to provide comfortable, over-ear protection.
Having these items will help you to enjoy an Everglades airboat tour comfortably and safely. But make sure not to bring any loose-fitting clothing that could get blown away by the wind. If you have any questions about our airboat tours, please contact us at 954-536-7400